55 ILCS 5/5-1096.5

    (55 ILCS 5/5-1096.5)
    Sec. 5-1096.5. Cable and video competition.

(a) A person or entity seeking to provide cable service or video service in this State after June 30, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 95-9)
 shall either (1) obtain a State-issued authorization pursuant to Section 21-401 of the Public Utilities Act
 (220 ILCS 5/21-401); (2) obtain authorization pursuant to Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-42-11); or (3) obtain authorization pursuant to Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code (55 ILCS 5/5-1095).

(b) A person or entity seeking to provide cable service or video service in this State after June 30, 2007
 shall not use the public rights-of-way for the installation or construction of facilities for the provision of cable service or video service or offer cable service or video service until it has (i) obtained a State-issued authorization to offer or provide cable or video service under Section 21-401 of the Public Utilities Act; (ii) obtained authorization under Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code; or (iii) obtained authorization under Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code.    Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a local unit of government from granting a permit to a person or entity for the use of the public rights-of-way to install or construct facilities to provide cable service or video service, at its sole discretion.  No unit of local government shall be liable for denial or delay of a permit prior to the issuance of a State-issued authorization.

(c) For the purposes of subsection (e) of Section 5-1095 of this Code, a State-issued authorization under Article XXI of the Public Utilities Act shall be considered substantially equivalent in terms and conditions as an existing cable provider.

(d) Nothing in Article XXI of the Public Utilities Act shall constitute a basis for modification of an existing cable franchise or an injunction against or for the recovery of damages from a municipality pursuant to subsection (e) of Section 5-1095 of this Code
 because of an application for or the issuance of a State-issued authorization under that Article XXI.

(Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)